BBC resignations: Director-general Tim Davie and CEO of BBC News issue statements after resigning

Chiming in with other voices on the right, Nigel Huddleston, the shadow culture secretary, told Paste BN that Tim Davie "had to go because there were just too many examples of very specific bias".

Huddleston named the review of the BBC charter as one possibility for the corporation to be reformed.

"We'll be having discussions directly with the BBC as well, about what they can do to make sure that they can justify that licence fee," Huddleston said. 

"They've got to look at everything, including who they recruit, the kind of backgrounds that people come from, the political beliefs held by the reporters," he added.

He said an independent body would have to review the BBC coverage regarding bias and action will have to be taken to resolve "cultural issues".

Watch the full interview in the video below:

Paste BN US correspondent Mark Stone has analysed Donald Trump's recent contribution to the debate, saying it was a typical reaction.

"Because he has got a scalp here, he will be enjoying this moment," Stone said.

That is not necessarily making it likelier that he will draw a line under the affair now, Stone added, saying that Trump "doesn't let things go".

This will also have consequences for the BBC's work in Washington, "who will find it difficult", he believes.

By contrast, GB News could be a beneficiary of Trump's media policy, Stone added in a later segment.

He pointed to a new social media post from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in which she called for British viewers to "watch GB News".

GB News was enjoying a "pretty close relationship" with the White House in Washington, and many members of Trump's cabinet attended the news channel's launch party there, he said.

Watch Stone's full analysis on Trump's role in the recent controversy surrounding the BBC below...

Many of the recent controversies surrounding the BBC under Tim Davie's watch have been related to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The conflict has strained relations between the BBC and the Jewish community in particular.

Reacting to Davie's resignation, Campaign Against Antisemitism, a British NGO, has in a statement called for "an independent inquiry into BBC bias".

Tonight's resignations were "an admission through gritted teeth that the much vaunted impartiality of the BBC has been a sham", the statement read.

It added that "the gravest betrayal" was that the corporation "often served as a mouthpiece for Hamas" under Davie.

Based on CAA polling, 92% of British Jews consider BBC coverage to be unfavourable on matters of Jewish interest, the NGO argued.

Here's a rundown of the key controversies the BBC faced during Davie's tenure:

• 2021 Oxford street attack: Ofcom found in 2022 that a BBC online article on an antisemitic attack in London broke its impartiality and accuracy guidelines. It had failed to swiftly correct false implications that the attack's Jewish victims used an anti-Muslim slur;
• Gaza war: A review by former BBC director of television Danny Cohen accused the BBC in 2024 of being "institutionally hostile" to Israel and making "false and damaging" claims on its military campaign in Gaza. It was endorsed by prominent Jewish groups.
• Bob Vylan: The BBC found that its broadcast of the punk rappers' performance at Glastonbury broke its guidelines. Their chants of "death, death to the IDF" (Israel Defence Forces) were available to watch via live stream on iPlayer; 
• Gaza documentary: Ofcom sanctioned the BBC for breaching the Broadcasting Code in its Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary. The corporation failed to disclose a narrator's links to Hamas.

Donald Trump has now also weighed in on tonight's resignations. 

It comes as the corporation is expected to apologise on Monday following concerns about impartiality, including how a speech by Trump was edited in an episode of Panorama.

The concerns regard clips spliced together of the president's speech on January 6 2021, which was part of a documentary broadcast by the BBC before last year's US elections.

Critics say it makes it appear that he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to "fight like hell", suggesting that he was encouraging violence.

Here is his full post on his Truth Social platform:

Political commentator and broadcaster Adam Boulton has shed some light on how the Trump administration may have contributed to Davie and Turness's decisions.

"These two have done the honourable thing to protect the BBC," he told Paste BN. "But they are victims in culture wars in the age of Donald Trump."

"I think the rapid reaction from the White House shows that," he added, in reference to Trump's press secretary posting about the news within minutes (see our 7pm post).

The pair's resignations may have helped the BBC escape sanctions" towards its journalists working in the States, Boulton added. 

"We know the Trump administration has not been shy about pressure on major broadcasters, and I imagine they felt their [exits] might take the pressure off." 

Watch Boulton's full comments in the video below:

Yet another former BBC employee has told Paste BN they think it's "right" that Davie and Turness have resigned.

Danny Cohen,  a former controller of BBC One, said the Prescott report reveals "catastrophic failures" within his former workplace.

The internal report, written by BBC editorial standards advisor Michael Prescott, laid bare a string of causes for concern within the corporation.

Danny Cohen, a former BBC One controller, told Paste BN: "It's not just that the Trump video was faked, it was the fact Mr Davie and Ms Turner knew it was faked for the last six months and they did nothing about it. They remained silent. That's completely unacceptable."

The Telegraph previously reported that the report also highlighted "systemic bias" in BBC Arabic's coverage of the War in Gaza. 

Watch the full interview with Cohen here...

The chief executive of broadcasting watchdog Ofcom is the latest industry figure to issue a statement.

Dame Melanie Dawes said: "I’d like to thank Tim Davie for his contribution as director-general of the BBC.

"Over the past five years, Tim has led at a time of great change and challenge.

"The BBC is a strong and valued part of our media landscape and the BBC Board will now need to reflect on how it ensures that the BBC continues to deliver for UK audiences."

Tim Davie was the 17th director-general in the BBC's 103-year history.

Here is a rundown of the key stages of Davie's career:

His background:

• Born in 1967, Mr Davie was educated at Whitgift School in Croydon, south London, and read English at Cambridge University;
• He worked in the private sector as vice-president for marketing and franchise for drinks giant PepsiCo Europe;
• He became a CBE in 2018 for services to international trade.

His roles at the BBC:

• Davie joined the BBC in 2005 as director of its marketing, communications and audiences division;
• His further roles included director of the BBC's audio and music division, including national radio, chief executive of BBC Worldwide, a commercial arm of the broadcaster, acting BBC director-general, and chief executive of BBC Studios;
• Davie was made BBC director-general in 2020, succeeding Lord Tony Hall;
• He said then that the BBC cannot be "complacent" about its future and must "renew" its commitment to impartiality.

Controversies:

During Davie's time in office, the BBC has been engulfed in a number of high-profile controversies, which Davie had managed to emerge mostly unscathed from, earning him the nickname 'Teflon Tim'.

• Gary Lineker: In 2023, the former England footballer was briefly suspended as Match Of The Day host after comparing a new government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany on social media. Davie defended the decision and announced an independent review into the BBC's social media guidelines;
• Gregg Wallace: Last year, the MasterChef presenter faced misconduct allegations, which he denied, but prompted him to step away from the programme; 
• Bob Vylan: This year's BBC broadcast of the punk rappers' performance at Glastonbury broke editorial guidelines as their chants of "death, death to the IDF" (Israel Defence Forces) were available to watch via live stream on iPlayer;
• Gaza documentary: Last month, broadcasting watchdog Ofcom sanctioned the BBC for breaching the Broadcasting Code in its Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary. The corporation failed to disclose a narrator's links to Hamas;
• Panorama edit: For more details on the controversial edit of Donald Trump's January 6 speech see our post at 7.09pm.
  

We've seen Davie and Turness's statements in full - here's how the BBC's chairman has responded. 

Samir Shah said of Davie: "Tim has been an outstanding director-general for the last five years.

"He has propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight.

“He has had the full support of me and the board throughout. 

"However, I understand the continued pressure on him, personally and professionally, which has led him to take this decision today." 

Shah also labelled the outgoing director-general "a devoted and inspirational leader and an absolute believer in the BBC and public service broadcasting". 

"Personally, I will miss his stamina, good humour and resilience and I will miss working with him," he continued. 

Turning his attention to Turness, Shah said: "She has transformed the operation of news with real commitment and a clear vision of the future.

“She has acted with integrity in challenging circumstances and leaves a strong legacy from which to build for the many millions around the world who rely on and trust the voice of BBC News every day.”

 Another former BBC journalist has told Paste BN he is "not in the least surprised" about tonight's news.

Tom Mangold – who worked at BBC News for 40 years and made more than 120 Panoramas – told Paste BN: "This couldn't go on."

"The BBC News division could not go on as it was going," he said. "In the past two or three years, things have happened at BBC News which never happened in my 40 years.

"All these things have come together at the same time and they all point to ineffective and loose management of the most important news organisation in the world."

Addressing the Trump video furore (see our 7.09pm post), he continued: "You can't misedit the president of the United States and hope to get away with it.

"There's a real danger President Trump could ban the BBC from White House press briefings which would be a catastrophe."

Watch the full interview below: